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PROVIDENCE. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


PUBLISHED IN TWELVE PARTS. 






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City Hall, 
















































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Scenes in Swan Point Cemetery, 












































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Scene on North Main Street 






































































Scene in Roger Williams Park 



















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What Cheer Cottage, (roger williams park) 













































Pomham Club, 



























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Y, M, C, A, Building, 





























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Scenes on Broadway, 



























































Scene on Providence River from Bridge 











































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Scene in Swan Point Cemetery, 


















Scene in Roger Williams Park 








































































































































































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Brown University Buildings 



























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Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, 































Scenes in Roger Williams Park, 


















































































Squantum Club from Pier 





















Butler Hospital 



































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TYLER SCHOOL, HOPE CLUB 














































View of Providence from Fort Hill 






































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Scene in Roger Williams Park 




















State Prison 

















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Scene in Swan Point Cemetery 



























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Exchange Place 





































































First Congregational Church, 
















LIBRARY BUILDING, (BROWN UNIVERSITY), 



WILSON & SAYLES MEMORIAL HALL, (BROWN UNIVERSITY) 





































Rhode Island Hospital, 



























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Scenes in Swan Point Cemetery, 






























Scene on Dorrance Street, 
















































Providence River from Point St, Bridge 




















High School 































HOME FOR THE AGED POOR, 





ATHENAEUM, 






























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View on Seekonk River from Fort Hill, 































































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Union Depot 



















































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ST, MARY'S CHURCH, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 






















































Court House, 



























SCENE ON BROADWAY, 











POINT ST, SCHOOL, 
























Hayward Fountain, 












































Scene on South Water and Dyer Streets 

















































































Interior of Sts, P, & P, Cathedral 










































































































Equitable Building 


























































































Exchange Place 



















































Scene on Westminster St, from Dorrance 




















































































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Scenes at Squantum Club Grounds, 




















View on Providence River, 















































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MONUMENT OF THOMAS A, DOYLE, PETTACONSETT PUMPING STATION 


































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State House, 




























Masonic Temple, 














































Scene from Pomham Club Grounds, 












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ST, EDWARDS CATHOLIC CHURCH, ST, PATRICKS CHURCH, 






















































Scene on Westminster St 

































Scene in Roger Williams Park 

























SCENE ON HOPE ST, 




SCENE ON STINSON AYE, 













































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Narragansett Hotel, 


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HOME FOR AGED WOMEN, 


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NEW ALMS HOUSE, 






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Scene on the Seekonk River near Swan Point Cemetery 















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Scenes in Roger Williams Park, 











































































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Cable Cottage 


































































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Market Square and Westminster St 




















































Roger Williams Statue, (roger williams park) 



































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Scenes on Prospect Street, 




























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Squantum Club 






















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Butler Exchange, 











































































HOPE PUMPING STATION, 












ALUMNI AVENUE, 

























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Scene in Roger Williams Park, 

































STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 




















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VIEW ON BENEFIT STREET, 








SCENE ON CAMP STREET, 





































The City of Providence. 


p^OGER WILLIAMS, the founder of Providence, came from England to Massachusetts 
in 1631, arriving in Boston on the twenty-fifth day of February of that year. Five years 
later he was banished by the General Court holden at Salem, while he was pastor of the 
church at that place, in consequence of his views respecting the powers of the civil magis¬ 
trates to enforce religious duties, and his opposition to the freeman’s oath, the sentence of 
banishment alleging that he “ hath boasted and divulged divers new and dangerous opinions, 
against the authority of the magistrates, as also written letters of defamation, both of the 
magistrates and churches there, and that before any conviction, and yet maintaineth the 
same without retraction; it is, therefore, ordered, that the said Mr. Williams shall depart out 
of this jurisdiction within six weeks now next ensuing, which, if he neglect to perform, it 
shall be lawful for the Governor and two of the magistrates to send him to some place 
out of this jurisdiction, not to return any more without license from the court.” His sub¬ 
sequent illness and wanderings in the wilderness for fourteen weeks to avoid arrest and 
return to England, together with his eventful voyage in steering his course to Narragansett 
Bay in the winter season and landing at Seekonk in the spring, are too familiar to the 
reader of history to need repetition here. 

In the early summer of 1636, Williams, with five companions, crossed the Seekonk 
River in a little boat, and landed on what is now known as “Slate Rock,” on the eastern 
boundary of Providence. The Narragansetts were at this time the most numerous and 
powerful tribe of Indians in New England, and, according to tradition, a small group of 










these aborigines, gathered on a neighboring rock, greeted the new-comers with “ What 
Cheer!” the first salutation ever heard by a white man from the shore of Providence. After 

exchanging greetings with the Indians, Williams and his associates pursued their voyage 

around Fox Point and up Providence River to a point little south of where St. John’s 
Church, on North Main Street, now stands. The site of “ Slate Rock,” at the foot of 
Williams Street, is now enclosed by an iron railing in a space about ten feet square, the 
whole interior being filled with large and small fragments of the rock built up in square 
form. 

Williams’ first visit to Providence is thus graphically described by a native historian: 
“ During Williams’ sojourn on the east side of the Seekonk he had not been inattentive to 
the resources of the unclaimed region on the opposite shore. He must have known the 
spring toward which he directed his canoe, and where he made his first landing. When 
he had built his wigwam and refreshed himself by the waters, he climbed with Harris and 
Olney, the first surveyors of our primitive wilderness, to the summit of the eastern hillside, 
directly above his dwelling place, for a wider view of their new home. From an eminence 

of nearly two hundred feet they looked westward, through the openings of the oak woods, 

over an estate which, to an unbiased observer, must have seemed more picturesque than 
promising. ‘The Great Salt River’ flowed far below, broad and unconfined. On the east 
it was bordered by ancient forest trees, and on the west by deep marshes, studded with 
islands overgrown with coarse grass and nearly covered by every spring tide. At the head 
of the bay the channel widened into a Cove, with a broad, gravelly beach on the east and 
north, and a border of salt marshes on the west. It received on its northern side two 
small and sluggish rivers, each with its own environment of swamp and woodland. One of 
these, the Moshassuck, gave its name to the adjoining region. Still further westward, low 
sandhills scantily covered with pines rose above the marsh. Beyond these, unpromising 
ridges of rock and gravel stretched along the western horizon and shut in the view. On 










its western side, the hill upon which our explorers stood ascended abruptly from the very 
margin of the ‘Salt River,’ but sloped with an easy descent to the Seekonk, nearly a mile 
away in the east. Both its eastern and western hillsides were thickly wooded with ‘eminent 
trees’ of oak and cedar. Both declivities were well watered, but the rains of centuries had 
well-nigh washed away whatever fertilizing principles the soil of the western hillside once 

possessed, and it promised only a scanty return to the labors of the settlers. But when 

our eager observers turned their steps northward toward the streams which poured their 
turbid waters into the Cove, and enjoyed their first view of the natural meadows, ‘upstreams 
without limits for the use of cattle,’ and thence looked southward over the Pawtuxet 
Valley, ready to be converted into corn lands and pastures, a sense of relief came over them 
as to the prospects of the new plantation. Descending among the rocks and through the 
pine woods, for a closer inspection of the shore, the hearts of the exiles were made glad by 
the discovery of great beds of clams, bordering the east side of the ‘ Salt River ’ and of the 
Cove, and of oysters whose flavor took away any lingering regret for the shell-fish of 
Massachusetts. Still further observation showed ample supplies of pigeons and other wild 
birds, and of fish, some varieties of which were unknown to the waters of Massachusetts 

Bay. Yet more cheering prospects were afforded by the salmon ascending the river, and 
by glimpses of deer in the uplands. The settlers took heart. Banishment from the society 
of Puritan elders and magistrates was not without its alleviation. With cheerful courage 

they laid the foundation of a town — without capital, without aid, with little good-will or 
assistance from England, and with none whatever from their neighbors.” 

Thus, two hundred and fifty-five years ago, began the settlement of Providence, the 
name given to it by Williams in recognition of God’s watchfulness over him and his 
associates in their journeyings, and their safe deliverance from the hands of their persecutors. 
Frcm this central point the settlement subsequently spread in all directions, and collectively 
received the name of “ Providence Plantations.” 








The burial place of Roger Williams has always been clouded with uncertainty. 
According to tradition, his remains were interred on the estate at the corner of Benefit 

and Bowen streets where the Sullivan Dorr house, so called, now stands, and which at 
one time was the residence of Thomas Wilson Dorr, the leader of the “ Dorr Rebellion ” of 
1842. There was a small graveyard here in the rear of some out-buildings, and in i860 
the graves were opened under the direction of Stephen Randall, a descendant from Mercy 
Williams, Rogers youngest daughter. In this lot, for many years, an orchard had been 
growing. When the grave supposed to be that of Roger Williams was opened, “a singular 
incident was discovered. The root of an apple-tree had turned out of its way to enter in 
at the head. Following the position of the body to the thighs it divided and followed 
each leg to the feet, tender fibres shooting out in various directions. By Nature’s prompt¬ 
ings it had taken up the chemical deposits of the body and turned them into blossoms 

and fruit.” In the cabinet of Brown University this root, appropriately labeled, can be seen. 
The site of these old graves is at the present time a kitchen garden, and no memorial 
marks the spot. In the ancient graveyard near the western entrance to Roger Williams 
Park is a small enclosure containing the remains of some of the early members of the 
Williams family. 

Providence was incorporated as a town in 1649. In 1832 it became a city, with a 

population of about eighteen thousand. The population in 1890 was one hundred and thirty- 
two thousand one hundred and forty-six, Providence not only ranks as the second city in 
New England in size and commercial importance, but it is proportionally one of the 
wealthiest cities in the United States, and is surpassed by none in the diversity of employ¬ 
ments which command the time and attention of its industrious and prosperous citizens. 
In and about the city, in every direction, extensive manufacturing establishments may be 
seen, which, being constructed in most instances of substantial material, their size presents 
an imposing appearance and gives favorable indication of the manner in which the various 







branches of business are carried on within. Almost everything is manufactured here, cotton 
and woolen goods, machinery of all descriptions, locomotives, steam-engines, sewing-machines, 
jewelry and silver-ware being conspicuous among the productions. The number of elegant 
and costly private residences here is unusually large, and they are not infrequently sur¬ 
rounded by spacious and highly cultivated grounds which are filled with flowers and shaded 
by ornamental and forest trees. While the foreign commerce, which gave to the town its 
first impulse, has nearly languished, the fine harbor is crowded with vessels laden with 
lumber and coal and other articles of merchandise, and lines of ocean steamers bring this 
port into direct communication with the most important cities on the Atlantic coast. 
During the summer months, steamboats ply hourly between the city and the numerous 
shore resorts on Narragansett Bay. Newport, the “ Queen of watering-places,” is reached 
after a very pleasant sail of two hours, while its rival as a summer metropolis of wealth and 
fashion, Narragansett Pier, is reached by railroad in about the same length of time. 

There are many buildings and places, especially on the east side of the river, about 
which interesting traditions linger, but the old landmarks are rapidly passing away. Too 
little attention has been given to the preservation of knowledge of the memorials of the 
past. For very much that is known concerning these ancient landmarks the historian is 
indebted to the Rhode Island Historical Society, whose organization dates from 1822. Its 
recently enlarged and greatly improved Cabinet is on Waterman Street, in close proximity 
to Brown University Library Building. The library of the Society comprises about fifteen 
thousand bound volumes, and between thirty thousand and forty thousand valuable unbound 
volumes and pamphlets. It is accessible, free of charge, to all students of the University, 
as well as to all residents of the State, and offers especial facilities for thorough research, 
not only on all subjects relating to the history of Rhode Island, but also in many depart¬ 
ments of general American history. 

The oldest building in the city is believed to be the Whipple house, on Abbott Street, 










near North Main. It was erected by Samuel Whipple, one of the early settlers of 
Providence, and the first person buried in the old North Burying Ground. In this ancient 
house, Roger Williams is said to have held his prayer-meetings. It must be more than two 
centuries old, and it is the only structure in the State in any way identified with Williams’ 
memory, of which a vestige remains. 

The First Baptist Church, on North Main Street, was erected in 1774. The exterior 
has undergone no change since that time, and is now one of the most pleasing and 
picturesque ecclesiastical edifices in the city. The steeple, which is nearly two hundred 
feet high, is copied from one of Sir Christopher Wren’s churches in London, and is sin¬ 
gularly symmetrical and beautiful. The church which worships here was formed in March, 
1639, and is the oldest one of the Baptist denomination in America. It was founded by 
Roger Williams, who was its first pastor. The bell which originally hung in the tower of 
this old church, and which was destroyed, bore this inscription: 

“ ifm* freedom of conscience, the toton tons first planted, 
persuasion, not force, to as usefc fin the people; 
rhfs church Is the eldest, anh has not recant eh, 

Knjonfns anh granting hell, temple, anh steeple.” 

In this venerable house of worship the Commencement exercises of Brown University 
have been held for many years. 

Among other buildings which date back to those early times are the State House, 
built in 1759; the Friends’ Meeting-House, a plain wooden structure, adjoining the State 
House on North Main Street, built in 1727; and the Board of Trade Building on Market 
Square, which was erected in 1733 for a public market, and has since been altered several 
times. 

The spring of water from which Roger Williams and his companions quenched their 
thirst, and around which they built their first rude habitations, is in the cellar of an old 
house on Allen’s Lane, nearly opposite St. John’s Church, on North Main Street. 1 he 







location of the camp of the French allies of the American patriots in the Revolution, on 
the heights at the extremity of Camp Street, is quite definitely settled; the remains of 
Revolutionary fortifications at Fort Hill, East Providence, and on the heights at Field’s 
Point, are readily traced; and Sabin’s Inn, on the corner of South Main and Planet 
Streets, where the plans for the capture of the armed schooner “ Gaspee ” were laid at 
the time of the Revolution, was until recently used as a dwelling-house. The house of 
Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, is on Hopkins 
Street. It was built in 1750. Here, it is said, General Washington spent a night in 1775. 

The quaintness of the names of some of the streets of Providence is noticeable to the 
visitor. Among them may be mentioned: Benevolent, Benefit, Faith, Friendship, Happy, 
Hope, Joy, Peace, and Plenty. Then there are these of another sort: Bullion, Cent, Dime, 
Dollar, Doubloon, Farthing, Gold, Penny, Shilling, and Silver. 

In September, 1815, occurred “The Great Storm,” which is one of the prominent 
features of the history of that period. It began on the twenty-second, and continuing to 
the twenty-third, became the most disastrous storm ever known in the annals of Providence. 
The tide rose to an uncommon and terrifying height, being twelve feet higher than spring 
tides, and inundated the streets in various parts of the town. The lives of many families, 
particularly on the west side, were in imminent danger. Vessels were forced into the 
streets and threatened destruction to the surrounding buildings. Women and children were 
rescued from chamber windows, and men were seen buffeting the torrent in the streets, to 
save a friend or secure an asylum. Every vessel in port, with two exceptions, was driven 
from its moorings. Fortunately only two persons lost their lives. Not less than one 
million dollars’ damage was done to various kinds of property. 

While no one picture, or view from any one point, will give a correct idea of the size 
and extent of the city founded by Roger Williams, probably the best single view of 
Providence is obtained from Prospect Hill Terrace, which is in the vicinity of Brown 
University. 






This ancient and flourishing seat of learning was founded at Warren in 1764, and 
removed to Providence in 1770. It was at first called Rhode Island College. In 1804 its 
name was changed to Brown University in honor of Nicholas Brown, who had been its 
most munificent benefactor. The charter is regarded as one of the best college charters in 
New England. The grand Rhode Island principle of civil and religious freedom is recog¬ 
nized throughout, while reserving to the majority of its coordinate factors a Baptist or 
Anti-paedobaptist influence; in other words, it is a liberally managed Baptist institution. 
For fifty years after its establishment in Providence, the college building, or University 
Hall, was the only building in use; now there are ten buildings. Sayles Memorial Hall, 
a beautiful structure of granite and freestone, was erected by the Hon. William F. Sayles, 
of Pawtucket, in memory of his son, who died in the early part of his collegiate course. 
An Astronomical Observatory and its full equipment has been recently presented to the 
University by His Excellency, Governor Herbert W. Ladd. Not only do the citizens of 
Providence feel a commendable pride in Brown University, but the same is true of Rhode 
Islanders generally; and for so doing they certainly have abundant reason. The present 
President is Rev. Elisha B. Andrews, D. D., LL.D., a graduate of the Class of 1870. 

From a very early period libraries have been encouraged, and scientific research has 
been fostered, by the people of Providence. The oldest library in the city, and by far the 
largest collection of books available for public use, is what is known as the Providence 
Athenaeum, on Benefit Street, opposite the Court House. The building, which is of the 
Grecian temple pattern, stands upon a terrace and is approached by two flights of steps, 
between which is a drinking fountain. The front is of hammered Quincy granite, and the 
sides are of Ashler granite. One of the two smaller collections of books, which served 
as a nucleus for this library, was begun a quarter of a century before the Revolution. 
When the library was removed to its present delightful and commodious quarters, or soon 
afterward, it numbered about ten thousand volumes. It now numbers about fifty thousand 






















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volumes. Paintings, statuary, busts, and various curiosities adorn the rooms. The Athe¬ 
naeum stock is divided into about seven hundred shares, which are held by that number 
of shareholders. The Free Public Library, on Snow Street, in charge of Mr. William 
E. Foster, a graduate of Brown University, has about the same number of volumes as the 
Athenaeum. The Franklin Lyceum has a library of nearly ten thousand volumes. The 
library connected with Brown University has seventy thousand volumes, and the Law 
Library sixteen thousand volumes. 

In June, 1886, the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Providence 
was appropriately observed, the interesting exercises continuing two days. The oration was 
delivered in the old First Baptist Church by Chief Justice Thomas Durfee. In speaking 
of the public schools of Providence, he said: 

“Among the influences which have formed the city, the influence of popular education 
has been prominent. . . . It is the public schools of the city which have kept her in 
the front rank of business cities. They have refined and invigorated her domestic, social 
and civic life. She owes a great debt of gratitude, which it well becomes her to 
acknowledge, to those public-spirited citizens who, nearly a century ago, perseveringly 
recommended to her people and finally secured its establishment, and, not less, to those 
other public-spirited citizens, who, in long succession, without recompense, have superin¬ 
tended its operations, and who, by their continued suggestions of change and improvement, 
have gradually carried it to its present high efficiency. Many public services have been 
more prominent; few more useful or meritorious.” 

As early as 1663, about thirty years after the settlement of Providence by Roger 
Williams, an old town record says, “ the town set apart land for the maintenance of a 
school.” But nearly a hundred years passed before a school-house was built at the public 
expense. As far back as 1752, it is recorded that a committee had been appointed by the 
town “to have the care of the town school-house, and to appoint a master to teach in said 














house.” How great the change in the last one hundred years! Providence now has sixty 
public school buildings, and those erected of late years are models of architecture, notably 
the High School, while the schools themselves rank with the best in the country. The city 
certainly has abundant reason to be proud of its public school system. The State Normal 
School is also located here. It occupies the old High School building on Benefit Street. 
The Friends’ School was founded by Moses Brown in 1784 It is under the care of the 
Yearly Meeting of Friends for New England, and instruction is furnished to both sexes. 

The principal business thoroughfare of Providence is Westminster Street. Some of the 
largest and finest retail stores of any New England city are on this much-frequented 
thoroughfare, and on a pleasant afternoon it is lined on either side with almost innumerable 
vehicles. What Broadway is to New York, and what Washington Street is to Boston, 
Westminster Street is to Providence. A notable building is the “Arcade,” erected in 1828, 
and which serves as a pleasant and convenient passage-way in going from Westminster 
to Weybosset Street. It is a large granite structure, of the Ionic style of architecture, and 
lighted by a glass-covered central court. It is three stories in height, and at either end of 
the building stairways lead to galleries around the upper floors. It is a favorite place for 
retail stores, of which there are a large number on each floor. Another notable building 
directly opposite the western end of the Arcade is Butler Exchange, which affords a covered 
passage-way between Exchange Place and Westminster Street. Thousands of people from 
all parts of the State pass through here daily, as its western end is directly opposite the 
Union Railroad Station. It is an immense iron structure, six stories in height, and contains 
stores and offices. It was erected at large expense in 1872. The main office of the 
Providence Telephone Company is in this building. A short distance above Butler 
Exchange, on the opposite side of Westminster Street, is Music Hall, capable of seating 
upward of two thousand persons, and which is very generally used for literary and musical 
entertainments. The largest hall on the east side of the river is Infantry Hall, on South 











Main Street. Both halls contain large organs of superior workmanship. The fine Hoppin 
Homestead Building is also on Westminster Street. A little above Music Hall, on the 
opposite side of the street, is the new and elegant granite building of the Young Men’s 
Christian Association, erected in 1890 by the voluntary subscriptions of the citizens of 
Providence. 

Not far from this last-named structure, on High Street, at the corner of Fenner, is the 
new Saints Peter and Paul’s Cathedral. The corner-stone of this magnificent edifice was 
laid with all the pomp and ceremony of the Romish Church on November 28, 1878, but it 
was not dedicated until July 3, 1887. It is in the Gothic style, cruciform, with nave, 
transept and clerestory, and is constructed of brown stone. Its extreme length is one 
hundred and ninety-eight feet; extreme width, one hundred and thirty-six feet; width at 
nave, fifty feet; height, seventy-four feet. There are two towers in front, each one hundred 
and fifty-six feet, in one of which there is a clock. A chime of bells is to be placed in the 
other. The basement is fifteen feet high, and is lighted by thirty-five windows. The main 
floor is supported by fifty-six iron pillars, resting on a foundation similar to the church 
walls. The interior space of the cathedral is unbroken except by the two rows of white 

marble columns which support the clerestory. The vaulted roof is of stained and polished 
oak. Over the front entrance is the organ loft. The beauty and design of the interior is 
unsurpassed by any church edifice in the United States. The fine circular paintings in the 
ceiling and above the altars are the work of the celebrated German painter, Lamprecht. The 
floors of the vestibule, aisles, porches, sanctuary and chapels are tiled with white American 
marble and white-veined Italian marble. On the pillar capitals are one hundred and twenty 
groups of statuary, representing emblems of the old and new sacrifices and all types of 
nature from the time of Adam to the present age. Four large statues of the Evangelists 

occupy niches above the capitals of the four clustered pillars. The groups upon the 

clustered pillars are arranged in accordance with Scripture scenes. The most prominent 








feature of the interior is the ceiling, which is composed of colored woods divided into 
oblong panels, decorated in Mosaic patterns and garnished with ebony, African wood, and 
gold. The grand central feature of the ceiling is the painting of the Transfiguration, sur¬ 
rounded at equal distances by four smaller paintings of Peter and Paul, the patron saints 
of the church, and Moses and Elias. The windows on the west side of the edifice are 
filled with scenes from the New Testament, and those on the east side from the Old 
Testament. The fine marble altars are of Gothic design, the pews and confessionals are 
of light oak stained in cherry, and the organ, built by Roosevelt, is believed to excel every 
other instrument of the kind in the city in its purity of tone. The paintings and statuary 
are all the work of some of the most noted artists and church decorators in this and 
other lands. While the cathedral cost about half a million dollars, it is estimated that it 
could not be duplicated at the present time for less than double that sum. 

The cathedral is a memorial to the great life-work and unremitting labors of the Right 
Reverend Thomas Francis Hendricken, D. D., the first Bishop of Providence, being appointed 
by Pius IX. in 1872, and consecrated by Cardinal McCloskey in April of that year in the old 
cathedral which stood on the site of the present one. Within a few weeks of the day when 
he hoped to see the new edifice dedicated he died, and his remains lie in the crypt under 
the main altar, in the basement of the cathedral. 

On Westminster Street, at the corner of Mathewson, is Grace (Episcopal) Church, 

which was organized in 1829. The handsome edifice is Gothic in style, the material of 

which it is constructed is freestone, and it was consecrated in 1846. A chime of sixteen 
bells, placed'in the tower in 1861, is the only chime of bells in the city of Providence. 
St. John’s Church, on North Main Street, is the oldest Episcopal Church in Providence, 
it having been organized in 1722, as has been already stated. It was first named “King’s 
Church,” in honor of George I., but for patriotic reasons it was changed in 1794 to “St. 

John’s Church in Providence.” On the west side of the church there is a burial ground 














which possesses interest by reason of its antiquity. The bell in use on this old church, as 
well as the one on the First Baptist Church, was imported from England. 

Providence has a large number of churches. Among other old ones, not already men¬ 
tioned, are the First Congregational Church (Unitarian), the Westminster Congregational 
Church (Unitarian), and the Beneficent Congregational Church. The first Congregational 

Society was formed in 1721, but the church was not organized until 1728. The pastor, 

Rev. John Cotton, was the first Congregational minister ordained in the colony of Rhode 
Island, and this was the third religious society establishing worship in Providence, although 
the Congregational form of worship had been maintained since 1720. The Westminster 

Church was organized in 1828. The first Congregational Church on the west side of the 
river was formed in 1743. The first house of worship was built in 1748. The present 
edifice (known as the Beneficent Church) was erected on the site of the former structure. It 
has a portico of the Doric order, surmounted by a dome, which has caused the church to 
become familiarly known as the “ Round Top.” The Baptists were the first religious 
denomination to obtain a foothold in Providence. The Quakers, or Friends, came next. 
The Congregationalists and Episcopalians established themselves here at about the same 

time. 

A stranger arriving in Providence by railroad, is sure on leaving the Union station to 
have his attention at once arrested by three prominent objects: The first is the City Hall; 
the second is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and the third is the equestrian statue of 
Major-General Ambrose Everett Burnside. 

The citizens of Providence have good reason to be proud of their City Hall, for but 
few cities in the United States can boast of a better one. It is built of cut granite, and 
externally presents a massive but plain front. There is very little ornamental carving, but 
the predominance of lofty pillars and heavy arches gives to the whole a majestic beauty. 
Viewed from any point on Exchange Place it presents a striking appearance, and has been 









an object of great interest to the thousands who have visited it since its completion in 

November, 1878. It occupies an entire square, fronting upon Exchange Place, and is sur¬ 
rounded by a sidewalk composed of granite blocks from five to six feet in width, and from 
eighteen to twenty-one feet in length. The main entrance is from Dorrance Street, and 
the main or first floor is reached from that street by a broad flight of steps. The building 
is four stories in height. On the first floor the departments are arranged about a hollow 
square, the central part of the building being devoted to spacious corridors, with floors 
of white marble and wainscoting of variegated marbles, in which black and gray predom¬ 
inate, and to a broad flight of white marble stairs, which, leading from the main floor to 

that above, divides to the right and left at a landing twenty-five feet above the main floor, at 

the head of which is a bronze tablet, surmounted by the city seal painted upon tiling, and 
bearing upon it an inscription which informs the reader, among other things, that the 
corner-stone was laid June 24, 1875, and the building dedicated November 14, 1878. The 
other floors are reached by stairs on one side of the building, while on the other side an 
elevator conveys passengers from the basement to the topmost story. The corridors are 

supported by polished granite pillars and surrounded by massive iron balustrades. The 
second floor contains the chambers of the Board of Aldermen and Common Council, and 
department offices. Upon the walls of the Common Council chamber hang the portraits of 
all the mayors of the city from its incorporation to the present time. The third and 
fourth floors are used for offices, committee-rooms, and other purposes. From the dome a 
fine view is obtained of the city, the surrounding country, and the beautiful Narragansett 
Bay. The building cost a little more than a million dollars. Previous to its erection, the 
City Hall was in the old Market Building, on Market Square, which is now occupied in 
part by the Board of Trade. It was built by lottery in 1773, and a third story was added 
in 1797 by Saint John’s Lodge of Free Masons for their own use. 

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, erected by the State of Rhode Island to the 





memory of the officers and men in the army and navy of the United States from this 
commonwealth who fell in battle, or who died of their wounds or from sickness, in the 
druggie for the suppression of the rebellion, was dedicated on Saturday, September 16, 1871. 
Not only did all the uniformed militia take part in the impressive ceremonies, but nearly 
two thousand war veterans were in line, making it one of the most memorable sights of 
the kind ever witnessed in Providence. The oration was by Rev. Augustus Woodbury, 
Chaplain of the First Rhode Island Regiment. The monument, which was designed by 

Randolph Rogers, of Rome, Italy, comprises a statue of America, eleven feet high, standing 
upon a pedestal thirty two feet from the ground. The pedestal is of granite; the statue 
and tablets and other mountings are of bronze, and were cast in Munich. The bronze 
figure holds in the left hand a sword depending at her side, while in her extended right 
hand she offers a wreath. Below, upon projecting abutments at each corner, stand bronze 
statues representing the various arms of military and naval service. The names of one 
thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven officers and men are engraved upon the bronze 

tablets and panels on the sides of the pedestal. Between the corner projections are 
bas-reliefs typifying War, Victory, Peace and History. The platform of the base is reached 
by a flight of five granite steps, which are broken at each corner by pedestals bearing 
mortars and balls. The whole stands in a small grass plat, enclosed by a handsome fence 

r f 

of granite and iron. On the front of the monument is this inscription: “Erected by the 

People of Rhode Island to the Memory of the Brave Men who Died that the Country 

Might Live.” 

The equestrian statue of General Ambrose Everett Burnside, the memory of whom 
Rhode Island is proud to count among her best-loved sons, was unveiled on the one hundred 
and eleventh anniversary of American Independence, July 4, 1887. The combination of 
military and civic ceremonies strikingly illustrated the two-fold nature of his services to the 
State and the Nation. The marching column consisted of about five thousand men, of 





whom many had served under General Burnside during the late war. The solid, steady 
tread of the veterans awakened memories of the dark days of the rebellion which were 
deeply impressive. Among the distinguished soldiers present was General William T. 
Sherman. After the parade through the principal streets, which was witnessed by many 
thousands of people from all parts of the State, as well as by the residents of the city, the 
procession halted in front of the statue, where, after some preliminary exercises, General 
Horatio Rogers, the orator of the day, delivered an address from which the following is 
taken: 

“ His career is ended; his statue is done. Ambrose E. Burnside has passed into 
history. Rhode Island has spared naught that could attest her appreciation. In life she 
conferred her highest honors and dignities upon him; in death she has fashioned his form 
and features in bronze, graven his name in granite, and reared them aloft in enduring 
testimony of her gratitude, and as an example for emulation. 

“ Rhode Island, small in size, is rich in memories, and she is proud to have been able 
to furnish to the nation as her representatives in the three great conflicts in which it has 
been engaged, Nathanael Greene, Oliver Hazard Perry, and Ambrose Everett Burnside. The 
visitor to this square, impressed with the magnitude of the struggle that gave freedom to 
four million slaves and assured the integrity of the Union, catching inspiration from yonder 
towering monument dedicated to heroic spirits inhabiting the Rhode Island Valhalla, as he 
approaches this statue and admires the skill of the artist and the beauty of his work, the 
noble mien and majestic presence here portrayed, will behold not alone the form and 
lineaments of Ambrose E. Burnside, but also, represented and typified by him, the lofty 
aim, the exalted purpose, and the unfaltering patriotism, that animated the soldiers of Rhode 
Island.” 

The height of the bronze group is thirteen and a half feet; of the granite pedestal 
from the upper walk, thirteen feet eleven and a quarter inches; and of the whole granite 






section from the city’s sidewalk, fifteen feet one and a quarter inches; making the height, 
from the highest point of the bronze to the city’s sidewalk, twenty-eight feet seven and a 
quarter inches. The figure of the man, if standing erect, would be nine feet high, and the 
horse is in proportion. Mr. Launt Thompson, of New York, was the sculptor, and the 
casting was made by the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company, of the same city. The expense 
of the completed structure was borne by the State of Rhode Island and the city of Prov¬ 
idence, and by private subscriptions. 

At the junction of Westminster and High Streets, in the large open space in front of 
the Cathedral, stands the bronze statue of Thomas Arthur Doyle, who was for eighteen 
years the Mayor of Providence, and to whom the city owes much of its present prosperity. 
The statue, which was dedicated June 3, 1889, was “erected by his fellow-citizens in honor 
of his integrity, ability and patriotism.” 

The Custom House, on Weybosset Street, was erected in 1857. It is a substantial 
granite structure of three stories. Upon the upper floors are the Internal Revenue Office, 
the United States Court Room, and rooms for the Judges and other Government officials. 
The entire first floor is occupied by the Post Office Department. A much larger building 
is now needed, and efforts are being made by the Board of Trade and Commercial Club 
and other public-spirited organizations to secure it. 

Another fine building, and one which attracts much attention on the part of visitors to 
the city, is the Providence County Court House, on the corner of College and Benefit 
Streets. It stands upon what was formerly known as the old Town House lot. The 
edifice is of the modern Gothic order, and is exceedingly well adapted to all the purposes 
for which it is designed Several kinds of brick and stone were used in its construction. 
The clock tower is two hundred feet high, and the clock therein is noted for its excellence 
as a time-keeper. The corner-stone of the structure was laid May 15, 1876. The dedication 


took place on December 18, 1877. 







Providence has numerous parks scattered about the city, but with a single exception 
they are all comparatively small. Roger Williams Park comprises more than one hundred 
acres, and is about three miles from the “ Great Bridge,” or the most central part of the 
city. It is easily reached by steam and street cars. The land was originally given to 
Roger Williams by the great Indian sachems, Canonicus and Miantonomi, in token of their 
good-will and esteem for the founder of the city and State. Betsey Williams, a direct 
descendant and heir of Roger in the sixth generation, bequeathed it to the city for a 
public park on condition that it should contain a statue of her great ancestor, and be 
called “ Roger Williams Park.” A fine bronze statue of Roger Williams, standing on a 
granite base, the work of Franklin Simmons, of Rome, was unveiled here with imposing 
ceremonies on October 16, 1877. The oration was delivered by Professor J. Lewis Diman, 
of Brown University. Subsequently a granite monument was erected to the memory of 
Betsey Williams in the ancient cemetery within the park enclosure. The grounds of the 
park are tastefully laid out, and comprise beautiful walks and drives, well-kept lawns, shady 
turfy slopes and shady groves. A series of ponds or lakes, covering several acres, the 
principal one being Crystal Lake, constitute one of the chief attractions of the park, and 
furnish opportunities for rowing in summer and skating in winter. The old Betsey Williams 
house, which stands precisely where it has more than one hundred years, is an object of 
great interest to all visitors. The park is being constantly improved and beautified 
by the city. 

Another large park, in the northern part of the city, to be called the Davis Park, is 
soon to be opened to the public. Blackstone Park, in the eastern part of the city, extending 
from Butler Avenue to Seekonk River, and containing about four acres, is a wooded ravine 
of much natural beauty, but up to the present time no efforts have been made to improve 
it. Dexter Training Ground, in the western part of the city, was bequeathed to the city 
in 1824 by Ebenezer Knight Dexter, who also donated the Dexter Asylum from “an ardent 





desire to ameliorate the condition of the poor, and to contribute to their comfort and 
relief,” is an open lot of a little more than nine acres. It was designed to be used as a 
training field by the militia, but it is now seldom used for that purpose. It is delightfully 
located, being lined on the margins with shade trees and encircled with wide streets bordered 
by pleasant residences. 

Swan Point Cemetery bears the same relation to Providence that Greenwood does to 
New York, and Mount Auburn does to Boston. It is the most beautiful cemetery in the 
city. Some of the memorials are very elaborate and costly. Among those who have found 
a final resting-place here are United States Senator Henry B. Anthony, Major-General 
Ambrose E. Burnside, Colonel John S. Slocum, and Major Sullivan Ballou. The grounds 
belonging to the cemetery comprise about two hundred acres, and extend on the easterly 
side to the Seekonk River. The Swan Point Cemetery Company was incorporated in 
1848. The Riverside Cemetery, adjoining it on the north, is of more recent date. 

In going to Swan Point Cemetery from Providence, one passes the Homoeopathic 
Hospital and the Butler Hospital for the Insane. The latter institution had its origin in 
a bequest of thirty thousand dollars made by Nicholas Brown, of Providence, who died in 
1841. In his will he directed that the sum mentioned should be appropriated from his 
estate to aid in the establishment of a hospital for the insane, “where that unhappy class 
of our fellow-beings who are, by the visitation of Providence, deprived of their reason, may 
find a safe retreat, and be provided with whatever may be most conducive to their comfort 
and their restoration to a sound mind.” Three years later, Cyrus Butler, a rich merchant 
of Providence, gave the additional sum of forty thousand dollars on condition that a similar 
amount should be raised by subscription. A number of benevolent persons speedily complied 
with the stipulation, and an act of incorporation was obtained in 1844. The hospital was 
opened for the reception of patients in 1847. Since that time large additions have been 
made to the buildings and to the grounds. The latter are beautifully laid out, preserving to 




a marked degree their naturalness, while the buildings are well adapted to their uses. The 
institution is ably managed, and occupies a high rank among hospitals for the insane. 

I he Rhode Island Homoeopathic Hospital is a comparatively new institution, and is the 
result of efforts made by the Ladies’ Homoeopathic Association to secure funds for its 
establishment. The corporation was chartered in 1882, and the present estate was purchased 
a year or two later. The handsome grounds comprise about ten acres, and the site is a 
very pleasant one. From the upper rooms of the house beautiful views of the surrounding 
country are obtained. 

The Rhode Island Hospital, on Eddy Street, was opened in 1868 for the reception of 
patients. It is the outgrowth of gifts originally made by the well-known Ives family, 
aggregating seventy-five thousand dollars, and to which large sums have since been added by 
others. Its present support is derived from the income of a large fund, and by yearly 
contributions from the churches, any deficiency in the current expenses being met by 
philanthropic persons. The building occupied as a hospital was four years in erection and 
cost nearly half a million dollars. The poor have the first claim to its beneficent minis¬ 
trations. Others who seek its skillful medical or surgical treatment pay only what is actually 
necessary to cover the expense of board and attendance. 

One of the most pleasant as well as most traveled of the many carriage drives in and 
around Providence is what is called the Swan Point Road, passing the Hope Reservoir, the 
Homoeopathic Hospital, the Butler Hospital for the Insane, and Swan Point Cemetery, out 
to the young and growing city of Pawtucket, four or five miles distant from the starting- 
point. HQurs can be pleasantly spent in driving about the well-laid-out cemetery grounds. 
Another favorite carriage-drive is to and through Roger Williams Park. Pawtucket people 
share these delightful drives with their Providence neighbors. A boulevard, two hundred 
feet wide, and occupying in part the Swan Point Road, has been laid out, and its con¬ 
struction is now under consideration. 












Providence has quite a number of clubs for social purposes, the principal ones being the 
Hope, Union, Rhode Island, and West-Side. The Hope Club, incorporated in 1876, occupies 
a handsome building of its own, on Benefit Street, at the foot of Benevolent, in the most 
aristocratic portion of the city. Its membership is of a somewhat exclusive character, and 
embraces prominent manufacturers, bankers, lawyers, and other influential citizens. The 
Union Club has also a fine building of its own, at the corner of Washington and Aborn 
Streets. It numbers among its members many prominent and influential residents of the 
city. The West-Side Club is of more recent organization, and has rooms on High Street, a 
short distance below Knight. Its membership does not materially differ in character from 
that of the Hope and Union Clubs. During the summer months the Squantum, Pomham 
and Vue de l’Eau Clubs meet weekly at their respective houses, on Narragansett Bay, a few 
miles below the city, for recreation and to enjoy an old-fashioned clambake with all its 
concomitants. The Narragansett Boat Club is a flourishing organization, and in the season 
its quarters are much frequented by the lovers of aquatic sports. 

The Commercial Club was organized in 1878 to promote the mercantile and manufac¬ 
turing interests of Providence by means of social intercourse and the interchange of opinions 
among its members, who comprise the representative men of the State as well as the city. 
Its reputation has been widely extended by reason of the large number of distinguished men 
from all parts of the country who have attended its monthly dinners at the Narragansett 
Hotel, and spoken upon topics which were engaging public attention. Membership in the 
club is limited. The Advance Club has been organized but a short time. Its objects are 
similar to those of the Commercial Club, and in its membership are to be found many of 
the leading citizens of Providence. The Elmwood Club was recently organized. 

The various religious societies in the city have social organizations bearing the following 
names: Baptist Social Union, Methodist Social Union, Congregational Club, Universalist 
Club, and Unitarian Club. 






There are a great many secret and fraternal organizations in Providence. Saint John’s 
Lodge of Free Masons was constituted in 1757. The Masons and Odd Fellows have 
buildings of their own. The Masonic building, a very fine structure, is near the Narra- 
gansett Hotel and the Opera House. The Odd Fellows’ building is on Weybosset Street, 
just above the Custom House. 

It is only within a comparatively brief period that Providence has had a hotel worthy 
of this enterprising city. The Narragansett Hotel, erected at a cost of a million dollars, was 
opened in 1878, and the excellent reputation which it has constantly enjoyed since that time 
has caused it to be widely known. It is first-class in every respect, and the paintings upon 
its walls are not only unsurpassed by those of any other hotel in the United States, but 
they are equaled by those of very few private collections. The Providence Opera House, 
the principal place of amusement in the city, adjoins the hotel. 

The ample water supply of Providence is obtained from the Pawtuxet River. Water 
flowed into the city therefrom for the first time on the eighteenth of November, 1871, and 
an appropriate celebration of the important event occurred shortly afterward. The upper 
portion of the city being upon such elevated ground that it cannot be served by gravitation 
from the reservoir, a supplemental means of supply, known as the “high service,” is main¬ 
tained by constant pumping at the Hope Station, or reservoir, which has a capacity of 
about seventy-six million gallons. Up to the present time the outlay for the water works 
has been upwards of six million dollars. The present excellent system of sewerage in use 
by the city was adopted in 1872. 

Providence is a great railroad as well as business centre. Nearly one hundred and 
fifty trains run daily between this city and Pawtucket, while the horse-cars run almost 
continuously. Trains run nearly every hour between Providence and Boston, and several 
times a day to New York. Almost all parts of Rhode Island are now reached by railroad 
from Providence. In the summer time a line of steamers runs from here to Block Island, 






and also to New York. When the improved terminal facilities now in progress are com¬ 
pleted, railroad communication will be greatly increased. The street-car service of Provi¬ 
dence is unsurpassed by that of any other city in the United States. A cable tramway has 
been recently constructed up College Street to the University and beyond, passing in close 
proximity to the new Wilson Hall, (the gift of the late George F. Wilson, Esq.,) and other 
college buildings. 

Shortly after leaving Providence for Pawtucket by the steam railroad, the extensive 
works of the Corliss Steam Engine Company are passed on the right. It was here that 
the famous Corliss Engine was built which was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 
Philadelphia in 1876, and which won for its builder such wide renown. At Elmwood, a 
suburb of Providence in a southerly direction, is the recently erected factory of the Gorham 
Manufacturing Company, the well-known silversmiths. 

On every hand evidences of industry and prosperity are apparent. To undertake to 
enumerate the manufacturing establishments of Providence to any considerable length, would 
exceed the limits prescribed for this publication, and we must therefore forbear what might 
otherwise be a very agreeable task. 


































































































































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